Josephine downed the glass of blood offered by the maids. She glared at the young girl at the balcony, seeing how she was being scolded by an older lady who seemed like her mother.
What an uncultured girl,
"Who brings a pet to this type of party?" she snorted as she watched her with irritation. She heard the older woman called her Aliona, as the girl was storming out. Could she be the Aliona whom her distant cousin told her about? The pureblood vampire who befriended a human? She turned back to search for Master Nickolai but was no where on sight.
After dancing with several males with her eyes out for Nickolai she finally saw his back facing her. Grateful that the music ended just at that time, she made her way to him, not wanting to be too obvious. Men loves coy ladies. She pretended to bump into him, surprised when he turned to see that it wasn't actually Nickolai but someone who bore a very strong resemblance to him.
"Excuse me, my lord. Pardon my insolence, I ought to have been careful with where I was going".
Does master Nickolai have a twin?
She quickly lowered her head in courtesy as any well mannered lady would.
Richard smiled at the beautiful lady in front of him, rubbing his protruding fangs with his tongue.
He spoke, more interested in her looks than her apology, "I should be the one doing the apology" he bowed slightly "apologies for standing in the way of such a beauty, if you could be so generous as to bless me with a dance, I would be forever grateful."
She lowered her head in courtesy, not wanting to show him her disappointed look, she bowed and allowed him lead her to the dance floor.
"I'm Richard Orsini, may I know yours, my fair lady?" Richard asked, staring at her chest wantonly. He loved sinking his teeth in smooth and white as porcelain skins, just like hers. He knew for a fact, judging by how she smelled that she's a higher vampire but not a pureblood. There's a distinct scents that comes with each rung in the ladder of hierarchy among the vampires, the stronger the scent, the higher the hierarchy.
"I'm Josephine Miles" she smiled. A smile which one wouldn't be able to differentiate between a genuine one and a fake. As Richard twirled her around, she caught Nickolai in a waltz with the Aliona girl. "I see my brother has caught your eye, just like other females in the room" Richard said bitterly, a grim look appeared on his face, his eyes turned red but quickly changed back, making Josephine wondered she had imagined it.
To avoid getting on his bad side, she quickly shook her head, "no my lord, i'm just surprised that you had a striking resemblance. I never knew Master Nickolai had a twin."
Richard sneered, a disgusted look on his, "unfortunately, he does"
Wanting to know more about the brothers and keeping her displeasure of Aliona at bay for dancing with Nickolai when it should have been her, she blurted, "one would think you are displeased, like it's a bad thing to be associated with your twin brother" she quickly gasped when she realised the implication of voicing her thought, slapping her hand over her mouth, while looking apologetic for being too forward. "Forgive me, my lord"
Richard was taken aback by her speech, ordinarily he would've been angry if it was someone else but because he was besotted, he responded with a calm voice, "do not worry your beautiful little head with that" he smiled wickedly. "Would you care to join me in a little fun game and it will count as being forgiven?" His face brightened with promises and secrets which she found thrilling.
She allowed him lead her to the garden by the courtyard, darting a glance at Nickolai and Aliona who seemed to be enjoying themselves.
What a classless human, throwing herself at him.
As they walked along, she could see vampires in various spots and position, having meals with their preys, some willingly; some not really.
A young girl sat meekly on the grass, Richard felt satisfied when he saw that the girl was still in the position he had left her earlier on. He patted her head like he would a dog.
"Stand" he commanded and the girl quickly got to her feet, surprised at how he controlled the girl, Josephine watched as he barked several instruction to the girl and she obeyed.
"Kneel" he ordered and the girl did. Richard took the girl's hand in his and drank from her, not minding how carelessly he had sunk his teeth in her arm, after having a fill. He turned the girl to Josephine and instructed her to bare her neck out, Josephine wanted to see if she could control the girl, she spoke "stand"and the girl did,
"How am I able to do that?" Awed that she could control another human, she suspected the reason to be connected to Richard, who is a pureblood must have allowed it.
He smirked with pride, "isn't it thrilling?"
Never had she seen a human who gives total submission to a vampire before without their consent. Although a vampire can compel a human but some could still fight it but this one was different.
She gave it a try, "kneel" she instructed and the girl did just that. Josephine had her fill of the girl's blood and even as the girl tried to break free due to exhaustion, she couldn't. Fascinated by this, Josephine looked at Richard, wanting to play with the girl more and Richard waved his hand for her to go ahead.
Josephine grinned with pride, "strip" and the girl started taking off her cloth.
"Oh, you and I are going to be such a good friend" Richard concluded. "It seems I have finally found a like mind" grinning in approval as he watched both the human who was stripping without a care in the world and the lady who was enjoying the show.
"What in the devil's name are you doing" a voice boomed behind them. The sudden swoosh of air and the absence of the girl who was just in front of her stripping her cloth was what made Josephine realized they had been caught.
The look of disgust on Aliona's face and the disappointing look on Nickolai infuriated her. Deciding against being at the receiving end of a pureblood's wrath, she quickly masked her anger with remorse.
Richard on the other hand wasn't fazed by his twin's anger, instead, he settled himself graciously on the bench.
Nickolai broke the girl free from the bond, with a mere tap at the base of her neck, exhausted from loss of blood, she fainted. Aliona rushed to her side to lay her comfortably on the grass, she disappeared within a second and reappeared with cold water and food. With a gentle tap on the girls cheek, she sprinkled some water on her face. The girl roused slowly, "what's your name?" Aliona asked gently.
"Vivian" the poor maid whispered, barely had the strength to respond.
"Here, have some food" Aliona fed her some soup.
"I'm disappointed in you Richard, you even have the nerve to initiate one of the guests to this barbaric act"
Richard jumped to his feet, furious "just who are you to be disappointed in me? Do you think because you're father's favourite, everyone is beneath you?"
He moved until he stood right in front of him, consumed with fury, his eyes darkened, "don't let being father's favourite get into your head. Because he parades you around his friends and associates doesn''t mean you'll become the successor"
Deliberately bumping his shoulder, he spoke as he walked away with Josephine closely behind him, "I did not force her to be here and she wasn't complaining by the way."
Josephine knew that she had lost whatever chance she had thought of creating with starting a thing with Nickolai. She didn't even get to talk to him yet!
With resignation, she turned to Richard who gave her a charming smile, i think this brother will be more fun to be with, she thought, comparing both brothers' reaction to the incident.
Nickolai carried the girl back to the maid's quarter to be fully attended to, with Aliona closely behind him. Warmed by his kind gesture towards the maid; that little act of care towards the maid forever endeared Nickolai to her.